by Naomi Niles
“Sure, thank you,” I replied, trying to sound as confident as she did. “I’ll talk to you soon. Love you.”
As we hung up the phone, I felt like I had a lot to think about, but that my brain really didn’t want to. I knew what I should do, but at the same time,all I wanted to do was switch off, so I lay myself down on the couch, continued to sip my beer, and lost myself in Miles playing on the screen.
Chapter 25
Miles – Thursday
It was safe to say that it was working.
Getting rid of all my distractions was having a huge impact on my game – and for the better too. When I wasn’t thinking about my personal life, I could play a whole lot better and keep Coach Jordan happy too. I might not be quite as happy myself, but I was doing my best to only deal with one issue at a time.
I slid across the ice, knocking everyone out of my path like a demon, and scored my fifth goal of the game. The change within me was phenomenal – all the things that I’d been struggling with before now came easy to me, so much so that it was difficult to remember why I’d been finding things so challenging in the first place.
By the time the buzzer rang out, symbolizing the end of the game, we had absolutely crushed the other team, and I didn’t like to go about tooting my own horn, but that was clearly because of the change within me.
The celebratory atmosphere within the dressing room was something else – even Coach Jordan gave us a metaphorical pat on the back, which was unlike him – so when the guys suggested going out to the local bar to celebrate, I agreed quickly. I fully intended to stick to my agreement by not drinking very much, and by getting plenty of rest, but I need to get out and at least have some fun. I felt like I’d earned that much.
“Good game,” Benji patted me on the back and grinned at me. “I feel like we’re really starting to pull back together, don’t you?”
“I do,” I grinned at him. “We just need to keep it that way – I can’t stand another talking to from Coach.”
“Come on, you fuckers,” I heard Marek growl over everyone else. “Let’s go and get wasted. I need to find myself a new bitch for the night.”
While the other douchy guys made agreeable noises, I narrowed my eyes in anger. How fucking dare he speak about women like that. Especially as he’d so clearly done something to Cynthia. I hadn't spoken to Danielle, so I didn’t know exactly what, but I could just tell that she’d become a cog in his ever rotating wheel.
“Why don’t you try being a little bit more respectful?” I spat out, my temper getting the better of me. “Why do you have to talk about women like that?” All I could see was red…and Cynthia, and I could feel myself getting increasingly worked up.
“Listen to this guy,” he joked. “Speaking like a fucking feminist! What’s the matter, dude? Getting your period? Or do you have a girlfriend now?” He turned back to face me, and I could see spite in his eyes, which sparked something like dread inside of me. I wasn’t scared of him; I wouldn’t have even cared if he turned around and hit me, but I just had the horrible feeling that he was going to say something that I didn’t like. “Another porn star, huh?”
“Fuck you,” I replied quietly, forcing myself to turn away. I didn’t want to end up in a fist fight with that guy because Coach didn’t look too kindly on violence and I was already in his bad books, but there was no denying it was really difficult. I had to clench my fists together to stop me from lashing out. “Just fuck off.”
Luckily, he didn’t seem to want any trouble either, because he rapidly turned and walked away, leaving me to stew in my own bad temper.
*****
I reached the bar a little after everyone else because I was trying my best to calm myself down before I started to socialize, but by the time I rejoined the group, the negative mood was still there, swirling around in the pit of my stomach.
“I got you a beer, dude,” Gaz handed me a bottle the moment he saw me. “You okay? That was some crazy shit earlier.”
“I’m fine,” I replied gruffly, not wanting to tell him the truth. What I truly feared was that it wasn’t done yet. When guys had beef, they fought it out and then it was done, but me and Marek hadn't been able to do that, which meant he was likely stewing too. I was afraid that there was more to come. “So what’s going on?”
“Well, everyone has been pounding back the shots for a while, so to be honest they’re pretty fucked up.” I could see it in his eyes too – they were swimming with alcohol. “It’s been pretty fun though; I think we’re all going out to a club in a bit, if you want to go.”
I sighed deeply, remembering Coach’s words, before realizing that I would get much less sleep if I simply went home alone sober. All I would do is pace the room a few times, allowing my mind to get itself worked up in knots, and then I would never be able to rest. “Yeah, sounds good.”
I figured that I could likely sink enough beers before we got to the club to put me in a better mood, but I’d only managed to get through one before everyone made their move. Marek was there, and he kept glowering at me, but so far nothing had happened, and I was choosing to see that as a positive. Maybe this would all blow over soon enough after all.
The music was so loud that it vibrated through my entire body. It was the type of tune that could only be enjoyed by a drunk person, which could only mean that I needed to go some way to getting wasted myself.
I stood at the bar, waiting for one of the bartenders to finally notice me, when I felt a sharp tap on my shoulder. I span around expecting to see a fan or one of my teammates, but I found myself looking into a pair of violet eyes instead.
“Hailey?” I gasped in shock. “What the hell are you doing here?”
My eyes ran over her body, drinking in the leather, very revealing cat suit that she was wearing – showing off her boob job well. Her hair was cropped into a much shorter style, which framed her face well, but really all I could see was the evil intent behind her eyes.
“I’ve come to see you,” she purred, leaning in closer to me. “One of your boys sent me a message telling me that you were all here, and I knew that I just I had to come and see you.”
Marek…it had to be. This was his shitty revenge. I shot him a look and spotted him smirking behind his glass which just confirmed that for me.
“So how have you been?” Hailey asked, wrapping her hands around my waist. “I’ve missed you.”
“You’ve missed me?” I hissed back, feeling that temper rise all over again. “You’ve only started missing me since your shitty reality TV career started going down the toilet.”
I tried to push her off me, but she clung to me like a limpet. Now that she had her claws back into me, I could tell that she wasn’t going to let me go easily. I didn’t want Marek to think that he had one over me, so I pulled her closer to me and asked if she wanted to go and talk outside. I didn’t want to be anywhere near her, but at least if we had privacy,I could get rid of her quickly.
“What do you actually want, Hailey?” I asked wearily, once we were by ourselves.
“I want to be with you again,” she licked her lips and ran her hand up and down my body, making her meaning very clear. She wanted me back, and she was willing to do anything in bed to make that happen. There was a time when I would have jumped at the opportunity, with no consideration for my pride, but that time had long passed. That was before Danielle, and although things were a little sticky between us now, that didn’t change the impact that she’d had on my life.
“No way,” I pushed her off me. “You had your shot and you completely fucking blew it.”
“Don’t be such a stick in the mud,” she chuckled bemusedly. “I was the best damn thing that ever happened to you, and I know you think about me every damn day.”
I shook my head and tried to walk away from her, knowing that arguing with her was stupid. She was a fucking horrible, manipulative bitch, and I was just glad that I could finally see her for what she really was, but by the time I reached the front
of the club, she managed to catch up with me.
“Miles,” she said, grabbing onto my arm. “Miles.”
I span around to look at her, to finally tell her where to go, and she completely stunned me by forcing a kiss onto my lips. Almost at the exact moment her mouth met mine, cameras started flashing everywhere, which showed me what her plan had been all the time.
As my eyes flickered around, drinking in the paparazzi around us, I knew that I couldn’t even argue. Anything that I would say could be noted down and used against me, so I simply span on my heels and walked away. People yelled questions at me, journalists asked questions, but I didn’t even give them enough attention to yell ‘no comment.’ I wasn’t great with the press anyway, and under these circumstances it was even worse – especially when I felt like my heart was aching.
I already knew that Hailey was a publicity whore, but that seemed low even for her. She was just using me to get back on top, and that really fucking pissed me off. Now the entire world would see me as the dumb ass that couldn’t keep away from the cheating whore, no matter what she did to me. I didn’t want the world to have that opinion of me, but as Hailey was well aware, there wasn’t a damn thing that I could do about that.
My mind drifted back to Danielle, and to the way she had already treated me with such love and respect. She had never shown me anything to lead me to believe that she was only interested in my money and fame, and I adored her for that. She just seemed to be a genuine person, and the only real issue between us was the distance.
Maybe there was a way that I could make it work…for the time being anyway. Maybe I could make a better plan to balance my life a bit more, at least until Danielle went back to San Diego anyway. As long as her presence no longer affected my game, surely no one could have any complaints about that? I just didn’t want to totally lose out on the short time that we had left together; it really would be a shame.
By the time I reached my home, I felt like I had a solid decision made in my mind. I would call Danielle in the morning, apologize for my absence, make up some excuse for it, and hope that she would want to spend some time with me once more. I couldn’t help but smile to myself at the memory of her on the ice, the image of her sitting in my arms in that desert shop, that moment she was naked in my bed with me.
She officially made me the happiest that I’d ever been, and that had only been highlighted by seeing Hailey. She was different, better, and that was exactly what I needed in my life.
Urgh, it was still just a shame that it couldn’t be forever.
Chapter 26
Danielle – Friday
“Nhghns…” I muttered, waking up, still in the same position that I was in the night before on the couch, with the TV flickering in front of me. I rubbed my eyes hard, trying to shake some of the sleep out, before refocusing what was on the screen in front of me.
As it was the sports channel, the big news that the presenters were discussing was Miles and his team’s win, which had my attention hooked for just a few moments. I had been dreaming about him, picturing him winning a game and pulling me in for a big kiss in front of everyone, and because I was still sleepy, this felt a little like an extension of that.
“…and of course, the other big news is Miles Richardson’s new girlfriend…” I heard one of the guys saying and I instantly sat up straighter in my seat, needing to pay attention. My heart pounded painfully in my chest, and my ears buzzed with anticipation, wondering if they were talking about me. Much as I would have been flattered to be known as a girl who could land such a hot guy, I was also really afraid of what the attention would bring.
Even if I were to date Miles full time, I wouldn’t want the attention! It just wasn’t me at all.
I pictured the people that I’d known from high school, seeing me on TV, and the girls I was friends with in college. Kim would be excited for sure, and I didn’t mind discussing it with her, but I wasn’t keen for anyone else to be aware of my life. I was content with being a wallflower, and I really wasn’t ready for that to be stripped from me without my permission.
“…or should I say old girlfriend,” he continued, leaving my brain whirring with shock. What the fuck was going on here? Was I missing something? “Hailey Mills…” This statement was accompanied by a picture of him kissing a girl in a very slutty-looking cat suit, which caused my heart to sink into my shoes. I examined the sexy-looking brunette, instantly feeling like a bag of crap compared to her.
She looked like the sort of girl that should be dating a famous sports star. I just looked like me: normal, plain, boring. There was nothing overtly sexy about me, which had me feeling like shit. Frustrated tears pricked my eyes as I also recalled Miles mentioning the name Hailey – she was clearly the one that had broken his heart, so it wasn’t too much of a stretch to imagine that they would have gotten back together.
But still, how the fuck could he do that to me? How could he treat me so fucking badly? This was worse than just being a piece of ass: this made me an idiot too!
“Shit,” I muttered, clicking the television off, not wanting to torture myself further. This was obviously why he hadn't been in touch – I was nothing more than a stop gap in the middle of the relationship that he really wanted to be in – and that felt fucking terrible.
The worst part about it all was that I only felt numb. I didn’t really feel angry, or sad, or even hurt…just incredibly empty. It was as if a hollow hole had been torn open in my chest, and that nothing would fill it.
I’m a fucking idiot, I thought to myself as my head fell into my hands. I should have known that this was going to end up like this.I should have seen it coming when all of that happened with Cynthia. I was a naïve idiot, and this was the price that I was always going to pay for that.
“Danielle,” my dad’s sharp tone rang out, making me jump about ten feet in the air. “Are you awake now?”
“Erm…yes,” I murmured, not really in any kind of mood to talk to him right now, but of course I wasn’t going to get the time alone that I needed because he stalked into the room regardless.
“I’m not really impressed with you sleeping on our couch – that why we have a bedroom for you.”
“I know,” I hung my head in shame as I got chastised by my dad for something totally stupid. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I was watching TV and it must have just happened…”
“Right, well get up and get dressed,” he commanded, a seriousness evident in his tone. “I have a great opportunity for you today.”
“What do you mean?” I asked cautiously. He looked far too happy for my liking, which was only going to spell bad news for me. Whenever dad was happy, it meant that he’s come up with a new way to torture me, and it seemed like today was going to be no different.
“Well, I know that you didn’t want to come to the conference yesterday for some reason, but that no longer matters. While I was there, I spoke to a few people and I’ve got you a placement shadowing me at the hospital today.”
“But dad…” I whined, really not in the mood to battle with his bullshit. “I don’t want to waste my time doing that.How many times do I have to tell you that I’m set with my decision?” I could have pulled my hair out with frustration;why wouldn’t he just get it?
“I’m not hearing it today,” he told me, shaking his head in my direction. “You are not just sitting on your ass all day; you are coming with me no matter what.”
I sighed petulantly, like a teenager, but then another thought hit me. What the hell would I be doing if I wasn’t at the hospital, watching my father do what he did? I didn’t have Cynthia to spend time with, and Miles was a fucking asshole, so I supposed that I might as well. I didn’t want to sit around and feel sorry for myself at any rate.
“Okay,” I eventually conceded. “Let me just go and have a shower.”
As the hot water poured over my head, I tried to clear my mind, but that didn’t seem to happen. That image of Miles and Hailey kept flickering up into my
mind over and over again, and as my brain found a little freedom, it began to make things worse. I couldn’t stop myself from picturing him stripping her down and screwing her up against the nearest wall. Then I imagined them making sweet, romantic love to her and then them laughing together about the random girl he screwed for a joke in between.
“Fuck,” I muttered to myself, pounding my fists against the wall. “Fucking hell.”
The emotions that had been forced down before finally came bubbling to the surface, and I began to cry. I hated that I was crying over someone who blatantly didn’t give a shit about me. It was fucking mental! Why couldn’t I have the same perspective as Cynthia? Why couldn’t I just treat Miles as a holiday fling, someone that I didn’t really give a shit about? If Cynthia knew how I was acting over Miles, she would be furious. So would Kim – she had only told me to have some fun, not to fall for a fucking dickhead.
Urgh, and now I was going to have to parade around a hospital, dealing with blood when I really couldn’t, while my father tried to tell me that being a doctor was the only life worth living. I wished for a second that he would come into a classroom with me, to see what teachers did and the effect that they had on people’s lives too, but there was no way in hell that I would get him to agree with that.
Why couldn’t he just at least agree to disagree? Was that really so hard?
I tugged some plain clothes on in my bedroom, not wanting to wear anything that would draw attention to myself, and I joined my father in the kitchen where he had actually made me a cup of coffee…for the first time ever.
“Thanks,” I said a little tentatively, sliding into the seat next to him.
“I just want to say to you that I need you to take this seriously today,” he warned me. “It took a lot for me to get you this placement, so I don’t want you to slack off or to treat it as a joke.”